how random are cup draws?

i have just won my FA cup first round fuxture, so i saved the game as i wanted to check if i would get the same opponent every time, and yes, everytime i load the new game, go through the draw i get an away tie at doncaster...so when was my opponent decided? :confused:

I believe the draw is (randomly) decided right after you've played your match, so it's not strictly a live draw when you watch it.

surely that shouldnt be so? it should be drawn when u select view live draw.....?

On a slightly different note, with the Champions League draw, how come there is only a draw for the second round, and from then you already know your route to the final.

As in if the fixture 'next to you' in the draw is for example, Bayern V Barcelona, you already know you are playing the winner of that match, and the same for the semi and final. You shouldn't know your complete route after the second round draw. The quarter final and semi-final draws should be totally random like they are in real-life. It takes an element of suprise out of it. This has always bugged me.

This is what I mean. As we know, the winners of each group play a runner-up from another group in the second-round. Fair enough, that is accurate. But from the quarter-finals onwards, the draw in real-life is totally random like in the F.A Cup or League Cup.

However, in FM, I already know who my potential opponents are in the quarters, semi and final straight after the 2nd round draw in December. It's just whoevers in your half of the draw, when it should be completely random. Like the draw below, I already know I'm going to be playing Porto or CSKA in the Quarters, then Real, Chelsea, Atletico or Marseille in the Semis. Then it's anyone from the top half in the final. It shouldn't be like that.

Looks like some more homework for the SI chaps before the next patch is released

Yea, it's been like that in FM for as long as I remember. It would be nice to have totally seperate draws for the Champions League Quarters and Semis to reflect real-life.

Looks like some more homework for the SI chaps before the next patch is released

On a slightly different note, with the Champions League draw, how come there is only a draw for the second round, and from then you already know your route to the final.

As in if the fixture 'next to you' in the draw is for example, Bayern V Barcelona, you already know you are playing the winner of that match, and the same for the semi and final. You shouldn't know your complete route after the second round draw. The quarter final and semi-final draws should be totally random like they are in real-life. It takes an element of suprise out of it. This has always bugged me.

I thought it was like that in real life. I was sure that on the draw for the second round they also made the draw for the next few round all the way up to the final.

yeah it is like that in real life, you know who you have up until the final after the second round draw.

No it's not, the second round draw was made last month in real-life, and no-one knows who they will face after that yet.

The quarter final and semi-final draws are then made totally seperately and randomly after all 2nd round matches have been completed, with each team being able to face anybody.

However, in FM, I always know my route to the final in December, which is not correct.

yeah it is like that in real life, you know who you have up until the final after the second round draw.

No it's not, the second round draw was made last month in real-life, and no-one knows who they will face after that yet.

The quarter final and semi-final draws are then made totally seperately and randomly after all 2nd round matches have been completed, with each team being able to face anybody.

However, in FM, I always know my route to the final in December, which is not correct.

Agreed - the last 16 is drawn with group winners playing runners-up. After the quarter finalists have been decided there is the quarter-final draw followed immediately by the semi-final draw.

Yea exactly, in real-life the quarter and semi-final draws are not made until early March when all 8 quarter-finalists have been decided, and these draws have nothing to do with the 2nd round draw/fixtures at all.

It's kind of silly in FM where you just look at the 2nd round fixtures 'next to' your one after the draw in December, and know who you're playing all the way to the final, when the QF and SF draws haven't even been made yet.

Agreed - the last 16 is drawn with group winners playing runners-up. After the quarter finalists have been decided there is the quarter-final draw followed immediately by the semi-final draw.

More like So Predictable.. Every time I do these draws I get the biggest teams possible.. I also get the same teams commonly each year.. Just the regulars Tottenham, Man U, Chelsea teams like that.